From a practical standpoint, Republicans can simply wait out the Congressional moratorium which has to be renewed every year and let it elapse, meaning that they would then be able to deliver leases to oil and gas companies allowing for exploration as close as 3 miles from the shoreline.

That's why ideologues will spin and push hard now for political changes lest another decade elapse and true data show that the conclusion of human input being a decisive factor is scientifically unsupported.

Whereas Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson rushed out their books within weeks of Labour's ejection from power, the former chancellor has allowed 16 months to elapse before publishing his version of events.